Written by: Lennon
Recorded: c.20-28 May 1971
Producers: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Phil Spector
Released: 8 October 1971 (UK), 9 September 1971 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, electric guitar
George Harrison: lead guitar
Nicky Hopkins: piano
Rod Linton: acoustic guitar
Andy Davis: acoustic guitar
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Alan White: drums
Available on:
Imagine
Power To The People – The Hits
The track which opened side two of the Imagine album was a protest song which showed John Lennon at his vitriolic best.
The song's origins dated back to The Beatles' 1968 trip to Rishikesh, India, where they studied Transcendental Meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The group first performed it during the Let It Be sessions in January 1969, where Paul McCartney assisted with some of the composition.
Much had changed for Lennon between then and the recording sessions for Imagine. He had kicked his addiction to heroin, undergone Primal Therapy with Dr Arthur Janov, and established himself as a successful solo artist.
He had, however, lost none of his invective, and the lyrics to Gimme Some Truth were updated to include references to US president ‘Tricky Dicky' Nixon. Indeed, in 1971 Lennon was becoming heavily politicised, and Gimme Some Truth marked one of his earliest protest songs.
Gimme Some Truth was the name of the 2010 reissue campaign of Lennon's solo works, which was timed to coincide with what would have been his 70th birthday.
In the studio
Gimme Some Truth featured George Harrison on slide guitar, and The Beatles' Hamburg associate Klaus Voormann on bass guitar. It was recorded at Ascot Sound Studios, Lennon's recording studio at his Tittenhurst Park home, in May 1971.
After one of the performances, which was captured on film, Lennon indicated he thought it was suitable for release. Producer Phil Spector's comment that "It's getting there" prompted a disappointed Lennon to respond: "Oh, wasn't that it?" The musicians nailed it on the following attempt.
Lennon overdubbed his vocals during the session for Oh My Love. During one attempt he recorded the song in an Eddie Cochran style, and even included a line from Cochran's song Cut Across Shorty.
In the final version, Lennon can be heard at the song's end howling "All I want is the truth". Although the album mix was faded out, on the original recording the band continued playing until they eventually came to a halt. The recording ended with Lennon's words: "This is the truth".
George’s solo on this is awesome.
I agree!
Too bad John let Tittenhurst Park go. It went to Ringo in an Apple stock transfer so that John could lower his income tax payable in 1974.
He should’ve gave credit to mccartney
Not bloody likely in 1971.
You mean “Beatle Ed”?
This is a John song that features two of his best ways of expressing himself verbally: snarling vitriol and humour. Unlike some other compositions, there’s no aftertaste of afterthought here, thinking, “Ew, he really nailed that piece of ar$ewipe.” The lyrics here are among his post Beatles best, met’inks… Viz. letting Tittinghurst go, so much was going on around John in the early 70s + his anti-everything stance wh. of course meant anti-UK [his note on the returned MBE read something like, “For “Cold Turkey” slipping down the charts and the Biafra thing”] and anti-ownership, esp. of property. Now, I can’t see Yoko shading him to give up any property. She knew what it was like to be on the thin end of a financial wedge. But I think she knew when to open her mouth in an attempt to make him at least see her point, and when to keep her trap shut and just let him try to walk before he could crawl.